Mr Fitzpatrick says mental health counsellors will be put in every school in Scotland.

The public health minister turns to the emergency services and says their welfare is crucially important.

The challenging and dangerous situations they face can affect their mental health, he adds

Mr Fitzpatrick explains the Scottish government is committing £180,000 to extend the lifeline Scotland Wellbeing Programme to Blue Light Responders, to ensure they are informed, supported and valued.

He says the government is looking forward to analysing the research Mr Rennie has talked about today.

Image source, Getty Images

One in 10 consultant psychiatrist positions in Scotland are vacant, according to a new report, leading to claims the profession is facing a "workforce crisis".

A census by the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that vacancy rates are particularly high in child and adolescent mental health services.

More than one in six consultant posts (17.5%) in Camhs is vacant.

Ministers say they have invested £54m in mental health services.

Read more

Mr Fitzpatrick cites government action on mental health generally.

The public health minister insists integration joint authorities have been working to implement the 800 additional mental health workers.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs says the government amendment tries to delete the word crisis, yet the Royal College of Psychiatrists say there is a "workforce crisis".

Mr Fitzpatrick insists there are "stringent efforts" to improve the situation which are not happening in the UK.

Image source, bbc

Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick begins by insisting mental health is a priority for this government.

Mr Fitzpatrick says the government, with health partners, is focusing on prevention, early intervention and clinical services, against a backdrop of a decade of austerity.

He argues the welfare reforms have had a particularly detrimental impact on people's mental health.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader says adults in Scotland are waiting for 700 days for psychological therapies, far worse than in England.

Mr Rennie says action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy stated that 800 additional mental health workers would be added to the workforce in A&E departments, GP practices, police station custody suites and prisons.

He argues the commitments are diluted, with the 800 going to a range of places including "other settings", with a third of staff going to these, asking for clarification.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman explains the other settings incorporate places where additional work is needed.

That's not what the government promised, hits back Mr Rennie, pointing out that so far there has been a miserly seven and half mental health workers for the police.

SNP MSP Keith Brown asks if Willie Rennie is ashamed when the Lib Dems were in power there were huge cuts to mental health funding.

Mr Rennie replies police officers will be furious that Mr Brown has ignored every single word he has said about their mental health.

"It's outrageous that he acts in this way."

The Scottish Lib Dem leader argues: "The government should be shaken to their core."

Mr Rennie says the conditions the police are working in are "fundamentally unsafe".

The research team was led by "world renowned expert Professor Linda Ducksberry", who was brought over from Canada by the SPA, Police Scotland and unions. He says the research couldn't be more up to date.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader adds he was astonished to see the justice secretary say the support structures were in place to address the mental well-being of officers.

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Mr Rennie says the research shows:

• 21% of police officers report depressed mood
• one in ten reported drinking alcohol or taking prescription drugs as a coping mechanism
• almost half suffer from exhaustion
• 35% of all officers reported going to work while going to work while mentally unwell
• 57% of officers report a lack of resources causes them a high degree of stress
• only 3% officers believed Police Scotland cared about them

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says it has seen quite shocking findings of new unpublished expert academic research into Scotland’s police officers' health.

It shows many officers are struggling with their mental health, being let down by this government Mr Rennie insists.

He adds the scale of the issue is "horrifying".

Image source, Newscast

The Scottish Liberal Democrats will now lead a debate on what it calls Scotland's "mental health crisis".

Social Security minister Shirley-Anne Sommerville says their Tackling Child Poverty action plan commits £22m to fighting poverty, with a focus on helping parents progress through careers and to therefore earn more money.

She points to the Scottish Child Benefit payment of £10 per child per week.

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In March we reported that one in five people in Scotland were living in relative poverty.

Government figures covering the last three years showed that 1.03 million people are existing below the poverty threshold.

The figures revealed that 240,000 children were living in poverty, two thirds of those coming from working households.

The data is based on income and shows a continuing trend of rising poverty and income inequality.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeil asks the Scottish government what action it is taking to help families experiencing in-work poverty.

Image source, PA/Getty Images

Read the full list of questions here., external

Mr Stewart says the government is reliant on third sector partners to provide night shelters and he says he is happy to discuss funding to allow them to open earlier.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie raises concerns about asylum seekers who he says have been made deliberately destitute by Serco's lock-change eviction policy.

Mr Stewart says the government is restricted in what it can due to the UK government's no recourse to public funds legislation which is "inhumane and absolutely horrendous".

He says the government is working hard to try to find solutions for the asylums seekers.

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Scotland's highest court recently ruled that Serco's lock-change evictions of asylum seekers without court orders were lawful.

The judgment from the Inner House of the Court of Session, external backs up an earlier ruling.

Read more here.

Robust plans are in place across Scotland, answers Housing Minister Kevin Stewart.

He adds that pro-active outreach teams are in action in Glasgow, and says he's allocated £174,000 to combating the issue this winter.

Glasgow's winter night shelter for homeless people will open on Thursday, 3 days ahead of schedule, he tells MSPs.

Mr Tomkins accuses the minister of under funding Glasgow's transition to rapid rehousing.

The minister denies this arguing he has increased the transition funding from £15m to £24m.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins asks the Scottish government whether it can provide an update on its winter planning with Glasgow City Council for rough sleepers.

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Local Government Secretary Aileen Campbell replies it is for each local authority to determine how it meets its statutory requirements in terms of waste management.

Mr Smyth asks about potential cuts to Dumfries and Galloway due to the cancellation of the PFI waste contract and in terms of the strategic waste fund grant from the government.

Ms Campbell says it was the council cancelled its PFI waste contract.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth asks the Scottish government what its response is to Dumfries and Galloway Council's decision to bring its waste collection and disposal service fully in-house.